Les Dennis feared he would die at 65 like his dad and reveals 19lb weight loss was so he can live to see his kids grow up

The 64-year-old actor and presenter also revealed he would love to do Strictly Come Dancing while on today's This Morning

By Jill Robinson

14th March 2018, 1:30 pm

Updated: 14th March 2018, 3:10 pm

LES Dennis feared he would die at 65 like his father if he didn't get fit and lose weight.

The 64-year-old actor and presenter appeared on today's This Morning to discuss his participation in Sport Relief's Famously Unfit series, which sees a host of celebrities try to get fit and lose weight through a variety of challenges and tasks.

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Les Dennis has revealed how he feared he'd die at 65 like his father if he didn't get fit and healthy

Les revealed he has lost 19lbs, after being inspired to take part in the programme by his own health problems.

The former Coronation Street star told Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield: "I got to that point where I thought 'I’m a character actor now, I’m playing a character in Coronation Street who’s got a heart condition so it doesn’t matter what I looked like.

"Then I did The Addams Family [play] and I’m playing Fester with a fat suit on so it didn’t matter what was underneath."

But after Les had to quit the show half way through its tour, he realised he needed to do something about his health.

PA:Press Association

Les signed up to Sport Relief's Famously Unfit programme

He said: "I got bronchitis which then developed into severe laryngitis, I couldn't talk, let alone speak.

Les - who has an adult son Philip as well as daughter Eleanor, nine, and son Thomas, six - had blood tests and discovered he had pre-diabetes, admitting he was "a bit in denial" about being in the "danger zone" for Type 2 diabetes.

He added: "I reached 64 and my dad died at 65 so a lot of warnings were coming my way."